Early-onset colorectal cancer, that is, in people under the age of 50, is on the rise, increasing by 1.4% each year, leaving health professionals perplexed.
And it’s not so easy to catch it early, because many people who have it seem otherwise healthy.
“The most common symptom of colorectal cancer in younger patients is actually no symptoms at all. That’s what’s scary,” Dr. Parul Shukla, a colon and rectal surgeon at Northwell Health, told the Post.
Dr Shukla said he had recently operated on several patients in their 40s, and some of them appeared to be in “excellent health”, including a vegan woman and a professional baseball player. Additionally, the data suggests a lag in diagnoses, meaning that by the time young people discover they have it, the diagnosis is already quite advanced.
But there are signs you can pay attention to, and doctor breakdown when you shouldn’t worry — and when it’s worth making an appointment.
Your pooping habits are changing
Constipation every now and then is nothing to worry about, but if you’re normally regular – and then get stuck for weeks or months – it’s not normal and could be a sign that cancer is obstructing your intestines.
“If someone, for years, has a regular bowel movement every day, and all of a sudden they have trouble having a bowel movement,” that’s worth investigating, Dr. Shukla said.
“At first, they might attribute it to the foods they were eating or the lack of fiber. But if it’s a constant change from something you had, then it shouldn’t be ignored.
Very fine stools can also be a sign, according to several doctors, as can severe diarrhea.
you are bleeding
Blood in the bathroom? Don’t panic, Dr. Shukla says there’s a good chance you just have hemorrhoids. They may be uncomfortable, but they won’t kill you.
But if you’re taking steps to combat hemorrhoids – eat more fiber, use a stool softener, stop straining, spend less time in the bathroom – and the bleeding persists for weeks, it’s worth seeing your internist for a rectal exam.
An even surer sign that something might be down there is if the blood is mixed with your feces, not just on your TP – meaning it’s coming from inside you, rather than just around your butt .
“The blood you see when you wipe on the toilet paper is probably very distal, very close to the anal area and is likely to be hemorrhoids,” Dr. Shukla explained. “But if there is blood flowing into the bowl, if you see dark blood coming out of the stool, that means the blood is coming more proximally.”
Anemia can also be a sign that you’re losing blood in the bathroom without realizing it, so if your annual checkups show that you’re anemic, colorectal cancer could be the cause.
A pain in the…
Pain may signal more advanced cancer, according to the doctor.
“If someone has an obstructive type of tumor and the colon is doing its best to contract and push the stool past, it can create colic-type pain,” meaning it comes and goes through waves, Dr. Shukla said.
Tension in the colon can also lead to extreme discomfort from bloating and distension.
Pain after eating can also be a clue, but only if it occurs several hours after your meal. This may mean it’s coming from your bolus or colon, while pain that occurs a few hours after eating is likely upper gastrointestinal in origin, such as heartburn, GERD, or run-of-the-mill indigestion. .
When should you consult a doctor?
It’s not uncommon for people to brush off their symptoms for weeks, months, or even years, convinced that their problems aren’t serious – and at the same time, no one wants to be seen as a hypochondriac, bringing down every last concern to a doctor.
Dr. Shukla says if any of these symptoms persist for a few weeks, it’s time to see a doctor.
Symptoms or not, current guidelines are to start colonoscopies at age 45 and continue to have them every 10 years if the results are normal. For people with a close family history or certain intestinal diseases such as Crohn’s disease, the recommendation is earlier.
